Texas Smash Hire Paul Drinkhall as Head Coach After Visa Complications

After a Season 3 that ended in an 8-10 record, 184 points, and a first-ever absence from Championship Weekend, the Texas Smash have made a sweeping change in the dugout: parting ways with head coach Jorg Bitzigeio and replacing him with one of England's most decorated players in the sport's history.

Paul Drinkhall, hired as the franchise's second-ever head coach, brings a résumé that few players in the English game can match. A three-time Olympian and seven-time English Champion, Drinkhall is also an eight-time Commonwealth Games medalist who claimed bronze at both the 2018 ITTF Team World Cup and the 2016 World Team Table Tennis Championships. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest table tennis players in English history and currently holds an ITTF Men's Singles ranking of No. 366.

The circumstances that prompted the change were disruptive throughout all of Season 3. Visa complications prevented Bitzigeio from travelling with the Smash during the season, leaving team captains David McBeath (SPINDEX: 2700) and Hiromitsu Kasahara (SPINDEX: 2726) to make most of the key in-match decisions. The franchise finished with a losing record for what appears to be the first time it has missed Championship Weekend, a result the organisation will be eager to put firmly behind it.

Drinkhall responded to the appointment with clear enthusiasm. "It is an honour for me to be a part of MLTT and the Texas Smash," he said. "It is a new challenge for me that I am ready to take on, and I can't wait to get started!"

McBeath, who bore much of the in-match burden during Season 3, was equally direct about the hire. "Excited to have Paul join the team!" he said. "He's got a lot of experience and knowledge to pass on, which will push the team further."

Beyond his playing career, Drinkhall already has a foot in the coaching world: he currently helps lead England's U19 Boys' Team and occasionally works with British Olympic players. He also served on the ETTU Athletes Commission from 2018 to 2025, giving him an administrative perspective that extends well beyond the table.

Owner Mahesh Joshi and his family made their own excitement clear in a formal welcome. "Your championship pedigree, leadership and relentless spirit will elevate our team and strengthen our pursuit of excellence on and off the table," the Joshi family said.

Drinkhall takes over a core that has been together since the franchise's first match. McBeath, Kasahara, Amy Wang (rating: 2588), and Nandan Naresh (rating: 2722) have all been part of the Smash across all three seasons and are expected to return for Season 4. That continuity at the player level gives Drinkhall an established, experienced group to work with from day one, a meaningful advantage for any coach stepping into a new system.

A seven-time English Champion inheriting a roster that's been together for three years, all hungry after their first missed Championship Weekend: Season 4 will be a true test of what Drinkhall can build.